Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Fimmsundared’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Fimmsundared’, characterized by its upright to outwardly spreading and uniformly mounded plant habit; freely branching habit; dense and full plant habit; uniform and freely flowering habit; medium to large decorative-type inflorescences with deep red-colored ray florets; early flowering habit; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Chrysanthemum×morifolium.

Cultivar denomination: ‘FIMMSUNDARED’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant,botanically known as Chrysanthemum×morifolium, commercially grown as agarden Chrysanthemum and hereinafter referred to by the name‘Fimmsundared’.

The new Chrysanthemum plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Fareham, Hampshire, United Kingdom. Theobjective of the breeding program is to create new early floweringgarden Chrysanthemum plants with numerous attractive inflorescences.

The new Chrysanthemum plant originated from a cross-pollination made inJanuary, 2008 by the Inventor in Fareham, Hampshire, United Kingdom of aproprietary selection of Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as codenumber 82983, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with aproprietary selection of Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as codenumber 83298, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The newChrysanthemum plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as asingle flowering plant from within the progeny of the statedcross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Fareham,Hampshire, United Kingdom in September, 2008.

Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysanthemum by terminal vegetativecuttings was first conducted in Fareham, Hampshire, United Kingdom inDecember, 2008. Asexual reproduction by terminal vegetative cuttings hasshown that the unique features of this new Chrysanthemum are stable andreproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotypemay vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such astemperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, anyvariance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Fimmsundared’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Fimmsundared’ as a new and distinctChrysanthemum plant:

-   -   1. Upright to outwardly spreading and uniformly mounded plant        habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit; dense and full plant habit.    -   3. Uniform and freely flowering habit.    -   4. Medium to large decorative-type inflorescences with deep        red-colored ray florets.    -   5. Early flowering habit, under natural season conditions,        plants flower the first week in September in the United Kingdom.    -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of the femaleparent selection. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ from plants ofthe female parent selection, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Under natural season conditions, plants of the new        Chrysanthemum flower earlier than plants of the female parent        selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have slightly smaller        inflorescences than plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of the maleparent selection. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ from plants ofthe male parent selection, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have larger inflorescences        than plants of the male parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum and the male parent selection        differ in ray floret color as plants of the male parent        selection have dark bronze-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants ofChrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Yotabitha’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.16,110. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Fareham, Hampshire,United Kingdom, plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of‘Yotabitha’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were more compact and mounded        than and not as upright as plants of ‘Yotabitha’.    -   2. Under natural season conditions, plants of the new        Chrysanthemum flowered later than plants of ‘Yotabitha’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates the overall appearance of thenew Chrysanthemum showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Chrysanthemum.

The photograph comprises a top perspective view of a typical floweringplant of ‘Fimmsundared’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations andmeasurements describe plants grown during the winter in 14-cm containersin a glass-covered greenhouse in Fareham, Hampshire, United Kingdom andunder cultural practices typical of commercial garden Chrysanthemumproduction. During the production of the plants, day and nighttemperatures ranged from 17° C. to 21° C. and light levels averaged6,000 lux. Plants were pinched one time and were about twelve weeks oldwhen the photograph and detailed description were taken. In thefollowing description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, Fifth Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Fimmsundared’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number 82983,            not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number 83298,            not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About ten days at            temperatures of about 21° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About twelve days at            temperatures of about 21° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three            weeks at temperatures of about 21° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four            weeks at temperatures of about 21° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; light brown in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous decorative-type garden            Chrysanthemum; stems upright to outwardly spreading giving a            uniformly mounded appearance to the plant; numerous lateral            branches and relatively short internodes, dense and full            plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 13 cm.        -   Plant width.—About 23 cm.        -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit, about five lateral            branches develop after removal of terminal apex (pinching);            each primary lateral with numerous secondary and tertiary            lateral branches.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 9.5 cm. Diameter: About            2 mm. Internode length: About 7 mm. Strength: Strong,            brittle. Aspect: About 70° from stem bending upwardly.            Texture: Fine pubescence. Color: Close to 146A.        -   Leaves.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length: About            3.5 cm. Width: About 3 cm. Shape: Palmately-lobed; roughly            ovate with three to five lobes. Apex: Mucronate. Base:            Obtuse or truncate with attenuate tendencies. Margin:            Palmately lobed, sinuses between lateral lobes mostly            divergent; dentate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Fine            pubescence; veins prominent on lower surface. Color:            Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137B. Developing            leaves, lower surface: Close to 138A. Fully expanded leaves,            upper surface: Close to 137B; venation, close to 138C. Fully            expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 138B; venation,            close to 138C. Petioles: Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About            2 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Fine pubescence.            Color, upper surface: Close to 137B. Color, lower surface:            Close to 138C.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Form and flowering habit.—Decorative-type inflorescence form            with ligulate-shaped ray florets; inflorescences borne on            terminals above and beyond the foliar plane; disc and ray            florets arranged acropetally on a capitulum; freely            flowering habit with 60 inflorescences developing per plant.        -   Fragrance.—Fragrant; pungent, herbaceous.        -   Flowering response.—Early flowering habit, plants exposed to            natural season conditions begin flowering the first week of            September in the United Kingdom.        -   Inflorescence longevity.—Inflorescences maintain good color            and substance for about three to five weeks on the plant;            inflorescences persistent.        -   Inflorescence buds.—Height: About 3 mm. Diameter: About            5 mm. Shape: Oblate. Color: Close to 143C.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 2.5 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 4.7 cm.        -   Receptacles.—Height: About 2 mm. Diameter: About 4 mm.            Shape: Hemispherical to spherical. Color: Close to 145B.        -   Ray florets.—Orientation: Initially upright, then about 90°            from vertical. Length: About 2.2 cm. Width: About 7 mm.            Shape: Ligulate. Apex: Mamillate or emarginate. Base: Fused            into a short tube. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Number of ray florets per            inflorescence: About 134 arranged in about seven whorls.            Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to 53A. When            opening, lower surface: Close to 184C. Fully opened, upper            surface: Close to 46A; color becoming closer to 53B with            development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 181C;            color becoming closer to 182D with development.        -   Disc florets.—Disc floret development has not been observed            on plants of the new Chrysanthemum.        -   Phyllaries.—Number of phyllaries per inflorescence: About 30            arranged in about three whorls. Length: About 7 mm. Width:            About 3 mm. Shape: Tapered oblong. Apex: Obtuse. Base:            Truncate, fused. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper surface:            Smooth, glabrous. Texture, lower surface: Fine pubescence.            Color, upper surface: Close to 144A. Color, lower surface:            Close to 137D.        -   Peduncles.—Length, terminal peduncle: About 5 cm. Diameter,            terminal peduncle: About 2 mm. Angle: About 60° from            vertical. Strength: Moderately strong; flexible. Texture:            Fine pubescence. Color: Close to 143D.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: None observed. Gynoecium:            Pistil length: About 6 mm. Stigma shape: Bi-parted. Stigma            color: Close to 12B. Style length: About 5 mm. Style color:            Close to 11D. Ovary color: Close to NN155D.        -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit production has not been            observed on plants of the new Chrysanthemum.-   Disease & pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common    to Chrysanthemum plants has not been observed on plants of the new    Chrysanthemum.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have    demonstrated good garden performance and to tolerate temperatures    from about 0° C. to about 35° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant named‘Fimmsundared’ as illustrated and described.